Improvement in hydrants



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ALEXANDER RIoHnOND, Jn., or DAYTON, OHIO.

Leners Pet-ent Ne. 109,547, dared November 22,1870.

I IMPROVEMENT IN HvoRANTs.

The Schedule referred to ln these Letters Parent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

the plunger, valve, valve-box, and water-chamber.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in eachg ot' the figures.

The object of' my invention is to produce a hydrant that shall be certain ,in its operation, durable, and not liable to derangemcut and injury from the action of the irost; and to this end, y

It consists, principally, in closing the waste-openings by means oi' a rubber ring or valve while water is pa'ss ing from the discharge-pipe, substantially as hereinafter set forth.

Ity also consists in causing the valve to close, when released, by'means of the pressure of the water and the spring of a rubber ring, substautiallyras hereinafter shown. and described.

It also consists in the peculiar construction of the valve and plunger, substantially as isherciuafter speciiied.

It also consists m the relative arrangement oi the plunger, valve, valve-box, and discharge-pipe,v substan tially as is hereinafter set forth.

It nally consists in the general construction of the casing, and in the means employed to make a tight sliding opening for the passage through said casing of the discharge-pipe.

In the annexed drawing- A A represent-s a cylindrical water-chamber, open at its upper end, and having upon its inner side, near-,the top, a suitable female-screw thread, which receives a corresponding male-screw thread, provided upon the lower end of the valve-box B.

The valve-box B, like the water-chamber, is cylindrical, and corresponds in size therewith externally i'rom its upper end downward about two-thirds ot its length, from which point to its lower end the size is educed to correspond with the interior oi' said chain` Internally the valve-box is provided with an Opening which has a straight cylindrical form from its upper end downward to a pointA near the contracted portion B, where its size is reduced and its shape changed to that vof a four or other-sided square until near the lower end of said valve-box, where a further reduction in the size is made, and the opening again assumes a circular form.

Fitting into the valve-box 1s a plunger., consisting of a hollow cylindrical part, O, providedupon its lower end with a squared part, c, corresponding in shape with and iittingloosely into the squared opening within said box. v

Upon the. upper end of thev plunger G is a flange, G', which, projecting horizontally outward, nearly iilis the upper end of the valve-box, while upon the lower end of said plunger is a downward-tapering plug, U,'

and below the same a shortl screw, c, tbr the reception ot the valve, consisting of a circular rubber disk, D, contained wit-hin a `corresponding metal cup, D', the latter ot' which is fitted upon said screw c" and held iu piace by means of a jam-nut, d.

A rubber ring, E, having a diameter somewhat less v than the interior Ot tlievalve-box, and a length equal to the distance between the flange C and the squared part c, being lit-ted upon said plunger, two or more channels, s, out through the walls of the plug C", and a number of openings, b, provided in and through the walls` ot' the valve-box, at the lower end of the largest portion ot' its interior, this portion of the devicc'is complete. v

The valve D heilig adjust-ed with` reference to the rubber ring E, so that, when the former is pressed upward by the water until a firm bearing is scoured upo'u the lower end ot' the valve-box, said rubber shall be sutiiciently loose to permit such water as shall pass upward around the plunger to escape into the openings s, the device is operated as follows: v

In order to permit water to flow outward through the hydrant the plunger is depressed until an opening is formed between the valve and its seat, through which the 'water passes upward into the space around the plug C", from whence, being unable to pass outward around said plunger by reason Of the closing of the opening between the same and the valve-box by the downward com pression of the rubber ring E, said water is forced to pass into the plug through the Openings s, and from thcnce.tln'ough thc plunger and a suitable pipe into thc open air.

Upon releasing thc plunger the upward pressure of the rubber ring E upon the flange C', and of the water upon the valve, force both plunger and valve upward until the latter has a lirm bearing upon the scat and prevents the outward flow of water trom the chamber A, while at thc saine time said rubber rin gbeing released from compression uncovers the opening between the squared portion Ot' said plunger' and the valve-box and permits all water contained in the hydrant above that point to escape beneath said rubber ring and through the openings l). i

Secured to and extending upward from the upper end of the plunger C is a pipe, F, having an internal diameter corresponding to that of the opening through the former, the upper end of which yfits into a rightangled branch-pipe, Gr, from whence extends horizontally outward a suitable discharge-pipe, H.

rlhe branch-pipe G is extended upward above the discharge-pipe, and its sides squared vertically, so as to enable it to be retained in radial position by being fitted into a corresponding opening within the casing l without interfering with its free vertical movement.

A screw', K, is swiveled at its lower end, within the upper end of the branch-pipe, and, passing upward through a corresponding threaded opening in the casing, is provided at its upper end with a handwheel, L,

by means of which said screw may be rotated and the branch-pipe G, pipe F, plunger C, and the valve D, adjusted vertically, so as to permit or arrest the flow of water.

As seen in fig. 2, the casing 1s formed of two parts, the upper of which contains the branch and dischargepipes, and the adjusting-screw, and fitting over the upper end of the lower part, is secured thereto by means of two screws, i, passing radially through their y walls.

The lower end of the casing I is provided with two openings for the passage of the supply-pipe A', and has projecting horizontally from opposite sides two lugs, I", by means of which a cover or plate, M, is -secured to or upon the lower end of the casing, a bolt, in, passing through each of said lugs and through each end of said cover. y

A bolt, a, secured to and projecting downward from the lower end of the chamber A, through an opening in the cover M, and provided at its lower end with a nut, af, enables said chamber and the valve-box to be iirmly secured in position.

The discbarge-pipe H, being rigidly attached to the branch-pipe G, has a corresponding vertical movement, and requires a vertically-elongated opening for its passage through the casing. Y

In order to cover said opening and give a good iinish to the casing, a slide, N, is fitted upon the discharge-pipe, and held in position within a corresponding groove provided upon the face of said casing by means of a collar, h, secured to said pipe immediately outside of said slide, by which means, as said slide has a 'greater length than the opening that it covers, it will be seen that the latter will remain closed at all times, regardless of the posit-ion of the discharge-pipe.

Theespecial advantages possessed by this device are- First, as no water can remain in the pipes above the valve, all danger of injury from frost is avoided. p

Second, the operating portions of the device are simple in construction, exceedingly durable, and not liable to get out of order, and, while possessing these merits, are not more expensive than those of ordinary construction.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and meiits oiz my invention,

1. rl`he means employed for closing the waste-opening of the hydrant, consisting of the rubber ring E, iittcd upon and working with the plunger C, and within lthe box B provided with the opening b, substantially as shown and described.

2. rlhe means employed for closing the valve when released, consisting of the rubber ring E, working between the valve-box B and plunger O, in addition to and in combination with the outward pressure of the water, substantially as specified.

3. The hollow plunger O, provided with the squared part c, tbeiiange O', the tapering plug O", the openings z, and the screw c, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

4. The combination of the valve-box B, the plunger C, the valve D, the rubber ring E, and the dischargepipe F, substantially as shown and for the purpose described. y

5. 'lhe combination of-the water-chamber A, the valve-box B, the plunger C, and the valve I), substantially as shownand for the purpose specified.

6. In combination with the plunger C and the valve D, the pipes F and G, and the screw K, substantially as shown and for the purpose described.

In' testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have here4 unto set my hand this 3d day of September, 1870. ALEXANDER RICHMOND, Jn.

NVitnesses Mounts LEEN, '.lHs. D. MITCHELL. 

